Brassieres



Jul 28,1959 F, m ULU r 2,896,632

BRASSIERES Filed June 19, 1958 FIGA INVENTOR, FLAVIA DITULLIO BY ATTORNEY.

BRASSIERES Application June 19, 1958, Serial No. 743,039

6 Claims. (Cl. 128-484) The present invention relates to brassieres which include shoulder straps and more particularly to the construction of the breast cups.

An object of this invention is to provide in a brassiere, a novel and improved breast cup construction which will maintain a desired breast contourand afford support for the underside of the breast.

Another object thereof is to provide a novel and improved breast cup construction which will maintain the desired breast contour regardless of whether the breast fills, or does not fully fill and is loose in the upper half of the breast cup, and in the event of such looseness, the resulting folds occurring in the upper perimetral lane of the breast cup, are hidden from view. Also, if the breast fully fills the upper half of the cup to such an extent as to cause bulges in said upper perimetral lane, such protrusions are controlled. In any of the events mentioned, the breast cup presents the outward appearance of being smoothly fitted. Further, provision is made to give relief to any such bulge, to maintain the comfort of the wearer.

A further object thereof is to. maintain from the lower perimeter of the breast cup to the cups apex, a smooth appearance, regardless of deviations of bottom contour which may be due to differences in flesh firmness of various figure types, bodily movements or caused by unequal tensions acting in the garment.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved breast cup construction of the character set forth, where a single member is so associated with the breast cup proper, that it serves as the support for the lower portion of the breast within the cup and lends proper contour throughout such region, and also serves as the shield for any fabric folds or wrinkles, or any fabric and flesh bulges, to hide same from view outside the cup, as well as to lend proper contour to the upper half of the cup. A further object thereof is to provide a novel and improved construction affording easy association of the breast cup with said breast-supporting, fold and bulgecontrolling contour maintaining member, so that the upper portion of said member lies exterior the cup while its lower portion is positioned interior said cup.

Another object thereof is to provide the mentioned member of such fashion that it affords a relief to the underside of the breast so that does not cut a line thereacross and maintains the wearers comfort.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved brassiere having the features set forth, which is simple in construction, easy to manufacture, reasonable in cost and efiicient in carrying out the purposes for which it is designed.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this disclosure proceeds.

For the practice of this invention, one form it may assume is to have each breast cup of a shoulder strap brassiere, associated with a flat ring member which is of relatively heavier material than the breast cup is made of. Where the breast is of lace fabric, this invention takes on a special value, as will be readily understood from the more detailed description hereinafter set forth.

The breast cup is slit at each side edge, inwardly and substantially horizontally, and is set within said ring member so that the top half of said ring is in front of the cup and the bottom half of said ring is behind the cup, with opposite regions of said ring lying flat in said slits respectively. The part of said ring member which is in front of the breast cup is swung to lie against the upper perimetral region of .the cup and the ring part which is behind is swung to lie against the lower perimetral region of the cup. The perimeter of the cup is congruent with the outer perimeter of the ring member, and both parts so. assembled, are sewn together in the garment assembly. The inner perimeter of said ring member is of course, free, so that the lower portionof said member is a free flap interior the breast cup, and the upper portion of said member is a free flap exterior the cup. The ring member may be of two unlike arcual parts sewn together below the regions of the slits in the cup, so that the seams of such arcual parts are hidden. Of course, both breast cups have their associated ring members, though only one cup has been spoken of. If desired, at the points of attachment of the front ends of the shoulder straps, each cup may havea V-notch to allow for some cup expansion. Mention has been made that the ring member may be of two different parts, upper and lower, sewn together. This may be for economy in manufacture, but it is preferred that the lower portion in such instance shall be of a firm material as for instance a felt, While the upper portion is of .a decorative fabric in contract with or in line with the exterior appearance scheme of the garment, all depending upon the dictate of style and the caprice of the designer. Also if desired, the inner contour of the lower portion of the ring member may include two intersecting convex arcs to afiord relief so that the underside of the breast is not cut in, which might otherwise occur when the wearer is a full-breasted woman and the lower portion of the ring member of comparatively stiff material.

I will now give a more detailed description of the preferred embodiment of this invention.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, similar characters of reference indicate. corresponding parts in all the views.

Fig. 1 shows a front view of a brassiere embodying the teachings of this invention. The garment is here shown worn by a lady. This view is in perspective.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view as seen looking in a direction into the breast cups of the garment.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the initial set in the assembly of the cup with its ring member.

Fig. 4 shows a face of a modified form of ring member.

In the drawing showing a preferred form of this invention, the brassiere indicated generallyby the numeral 15, comprisesthe breast cups 16, 16 associated in common manner with the torso-encircling band denoted gen: erally as 17 which is provided with the adjustableshoulder straps 18, 18; one end ofeach such strapbeing connected to a rear upper region of said band, while its front end is connected to a ring member associated with a cup as will be explained.

The ring members are indicated generally by the numerals 19, 19 respectively. Description of one of them will sufiice, since both are identical in structure and matfiner of attachment in the garment is the same for bo The breast cup 16 has a slit 20 at the side edge at the breast-bone region of the brassiere. The ring member 19 is flat, its outer perimeter is identical in size and shape with the mouth rim of the breast cup, and is made of pliable material. Before the breast cup is sewn into the garment, it is placed through the ring member 18 and said ring is set through said slits as shown in Fig. 3. The about-half ring portion 21 which is forward of the breast cup, is shifted upward to rest on the outer surface of the cup, while the ring portion 22 which is "behind the cup, is shifted downward to rest against the inner surface of said cup. The outer perimeter of the ring member is made to coincide with the-mouth rim of the cup, and then with the ring member soarranged,

the cup is sewn into the garment in usual fashion around its perimeter, at the same time securing the ring member half of the cup and therein. It is to be noted that the shoulder strap 18 is connected to the topmost region of the ring member 19 and it is desirable that the cup member 16 have a V-notch 24 extending from the upper edge downward. The ring member 19 lies free of wrinkles through the slits 20 and conforms to the cup contour substantially. The lower half 22 of the ring member is somewhat wider than the top half 21, to act as a sling to support the underside of the breast, and

the width of the top half is sufficient to hide any wrinkles and to hide and control any bulges which may occur in the cup material should the breast lie with looseness in the upper portion of the cup or unduly overfill it.

In donning the garment, the straps 18, 18 are adjusted to have good fit with comfort, and the pull of the strap on the ring member it is associated with, causes the inner bottom half 22 of the ring member to act as a support for the underside of the breast, and such pull will cause the upper half 21 of said member to flatten against the cup to the extent such cup is covered thereby. Should the breast tend to overfill the cup, the latter will give somewhat because the notch 24 will spread further open. Deviations in the contours of the under portions of the breasts which may be due to differences in flesh firmness of the breasts, bodily movements or unequal tensions acting in the garment, will not disrupt the smooth appearance of the lower half of the breast cups .because'of the comparative stiffness of the sling portion 22 in relation to the much thinner or lace material the cup is usually made of. In fact, it may be desirable to make the ring member of two arcual parts 25 and 26,

where the latter, the lower portion serving as the sling,

is say of a felt material and the upper part 25 of decorative fabric.

formed by the convex arcs 28 which intersect at the mid region of such sling.

It is also to be noted that the downward action of In such instance, meaning where the ring member is of two parts, the lines seaming them together the breast to move the sling portion 22 against the inner surface of the cup, will pull the upper part 21 of the ring member against the outer surface of such cup, thereby aiding in the accomplishment of maintenance of good appearance and fit.

This invention is capable of numerous forms and various applications without departing from the essential features herein disclosed. It is therefore intended and desired that the embodiments shown herein shall be deemed illustrative and not restrictive and that the patent shall cover all patentable novelty herein set forth; reference being had to the following claims rather than to the specific description herein to indicate the scope o this invention.

I claim:

l. In combination with a brassiere having a pair of breast cups and shoulder straps; a. pair of flat rings of pliable material; each cup being positioned that its mouth rim surrounds both the upper and under sides of a breast when the brassiere is worn; each cup having a slit at the side edge region of the garment and at the breast-bone region; each cup being positioned through a ring; opposite regions of each ring being positioned through the slits of its associated cup; the outer perimeter of each ring being congruent with the mouth rim of the cup it is on and secured along said rim; said rings being free inwardly of their outer perimeters; the part of each iing which is lower on its associated cup, being interior such cup and resting in surface contact with the interior surface of its associated cup for contact surface with the underside of the breast and the part of each ring which is higher on its associated cup, being exterior said cup and resting in surface contact with the outer surface of said cup; the lower part of the ring associated with each cup,

being in continuation of the upper part of said ring;

the width of the lower portion of each ring being of a dimension so it is adapted to serve as a sling to support the underside of a breast and the width of the upper portion of the ring being of a dimension adapted to conceal substantially any irregularities occurring in the contour of the upper portion of the cup it is associated with; one end of each shoulder strap being secured to the very top region of each ring respectively.

' 2. An article as defined in claim 1, wherein the slits commence from the very edge of the cup rim.

3. An article as defined in claim 1, wherein .each cup is provided with a V-notch at the region of attachment of a shoulder strap to its associated ring.

4. An article as defined in claim 1, wherein the material of the ring members is relatively stiffer than that of the cups.

5. An article as defined in claim 1, wherein the lower part of each ring member is of a material which is relatively stiffer than that of the upper portion thereof.

6. An article as defined in claim 1, wherein the inner perimeter of the lower part of each ring includes a pair of convex arcs intersecting at the mid region of said part.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,189,589 Lawrence July 4, 1916 2,362,974 Cohen Nov. 231, 1944 2,407,574, Panes Sept. '10, 1946 

